My 60 year old father-in-law still knows that it's his bday or Christmas. After 6 years of house shoes, comfortable clothes, massage chairs, DVDs, movies, (evena a dorm fridge in his bedroom), etc... I'm out of ideas...totally out. A tried and true used to be a gift certificate to his favorite resturant, but he will no longer eat out (too messy, slow, embarassing, etc...).
I know in light of other postings, this is not a big deal, but is sure feels like one on Christmas Day (when he's actually coming out of his room and joining the family - even if it does use up his 30 minutes of energy for the day).

Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:44 pm

Irene Selak

Kink,
Welcome to the LBDA forums, one of the things that my husband really enjoyed as gifts was a portable CD player, we bought the least complicated one we could find and he often enjoyed just sitting with his eyes closed listening to the music, often the TV confused him more and with music they don't have to think too much. I hope this helps some!

Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:04 pm

sythompson

Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:02 amPosts: 537Location: MI

Some ideas my Mother enjoys. I'll take the 35mm camera instead of the digital and take family photos, familar places outdoor photos etc. She likes having a new stack of pictures to look at, carry around, talk about etc. She also enjoys new music for her CD player. - I did persuade her that we can still do restaurants- we go for dinner about 3:30 or 4 before the rush and get a booth for privacy. If we have any problems we mention Parkinsons- no problem. Then we leave leave an extra tip - helps if we are messy. Also most restaurants will do a meal to take out. At times I've just told them how much my Mother loves a particular meal they serve but is to ill to make it to the restaurant. I've yet to find one that won't do the meal up real nice for me to deliver. - so a certificate with the promise you'll deliver can still be a great treat.
Another treat she enjoys- to go riding around looking at scenery and houses then we stop at a fast food place and take our meal to a park and eat in the car.
Handmade gift cards for special outing are nice. I think she enjoys anything that breaks up the routine and with a gift card she can pick the time (within reason) I have refused driving around in the middle of the night.
Would he enjoys books on tape? - maybe not long novels but perhaps poetry? tapes of concerts? or DVDs ?
I've found the worse she becomes the more creative I have to be- somethings are a hit but I've had a few flops too.
Good Luck
Sharon

_________________syt

Thu Nov 27, 2008 7:55 am

sythompson

Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:02 amPosts: 537Location: MI

forgot - magazines that have lots of pictures. She likes National Geographic or some regional publications. I don't think she reads much of the articles but will look for ages and carries them around. -for her it is also any with recipes.
Sharon

_________________syt

Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:00 am

raffcons

Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2007 8:38 pmPosts: 712Location: CA

If your LO lives at home with you (for obvious reasons) and has no allergies or unreasonable fears, consider a cat for a gift. Go to a shelter and ask about a more mature cat (not a kitten), who is very mellow and a real schmoozer. In the right home circumstances, a cat can be incredibly therapeutic and also very calming. Dogs are obviously a much bigger, more costly, and higher maintenance companion than a cat. Nothing is more comforting and calming for Jerome than to be lying down with his cat on or by him, and he does not feel alone if I am in another room.

_________________Renata (and Jerome-in-Heaven)

Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:22 pm

dorthea

Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2007 4:28 pmPosts: 781Location: LA

Thinking outside the box

KinK; All my husband wants is/are his Army papers. His Discharge papers. We are being creative and copying the originals to make a big deal out of them being sent to him from Washington DC [???]. That is what he wants. I have ordered duplicates of the medals he earned with the battle stars attached on the ribbons. Each set will have its own presentation box lined with velvet.

This LBD is complicated even more so because of his blindness so the gift must be something that he can feel. We are thinking about making a scroll type by rolling the discharge papers and tying with a ribbon.

He seems to think he will be called up and go back to war if they still have his papers on their desk. He was ninety years old in August.

Whatever it takes to make him happy.

Dorthea

_________________"See this lady she's 85 but she's nice", This is the way my husband, Mr B., introduced me in 2006 to the people only he knew. Death due to pneumonia. Lewy Body Dementia diagnosed post mortem at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville Florida.

Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:40 am

Janice Davis

Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:37 pmPosts: 17

gift suggestions

I have tried buying DVDs of old TV programs such as Red Skelton. He loves the Johnny Carson set.
His only activity he enjoys is walking the Shih Tzu. Check a local breeder as many sell their older dogs or even give them away. They can be as small as our 6 pound cuddler or up to 12 to 15 pounds. They basically do not shed and love to cuddle and sleep on a bed or in your lap - basically all of the time.. They rarely bark either.
A box of ice cream bars that magically get replaced is a treat he enjoys. I just wrapped an empty box!
Our cable TV has numerous music channels and a subsription as such is $1 a month. I usually choose seasonal songs, swing, light listening, etc. so when he awakes it is a familiar sound ( that I can tolerate as well ) and a picture on the TV screen reasures him.
Bird feeders in the window and suet feeders that allow the squirrels to entertain catches his attention. He helps "fill" the sunflower feeder.
I go to the bird store and give sacks of feed as gifts too.
Good luck!

Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:06 pm

katelu

Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 2:28 pmPosts: 464Location: Minnesota

Here's a vote for digital photo frames. Now hear me out.

I often am on my laptop around Mom. When I leave it and the screen saver comes up, it's all family photos and pictures from her garden (in a particularly spectacular year). No matter what else is going on in the room, she is mesmerized by it. When she finally needs a nursing home, a digital frame with my screen saver is going to be essential equipment.

_________________Kate [i](Cared for Mom for years before anyone else noticed the symptoms, but the last year of her life was rough and we needed to place her in an SNF, where she passed in February 2012)[/i]

Sun Jan 24, 2010 11:42 pm

LTCVT

Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:33 pmPosts: 3441Location: Vermont

What a great idea - I think I'll get one of those for my dad and put it where he can see it from his chair. Since he can't even get up anymore, he can't see all the family photos and photo collages I put in his room at the ALF. With the digital photo frame he can see various photos throughout the day. Thanks for sharing this idea - it'll be my Valentine's gift to him! Lynn

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